Sealants, adhesives and other flowable or moldable materials are often used on various components of a variety of articles of manufacture. Such flowable materials, for example, are applied to several components of an automotive vehicle for purposes such as increasing the structural integrity of the vehicle, sealing, attaching components of the vehicle together, or improving vehicle noise, vibration or harshness (NVH) characteristics.
Application of the flowable materials to the various components can create a variety of challenges. There may be challenges presented in forming flowable materials with desired properties. For instance, the flowable materials may need to be formed with chemical properties, physical properties or both, which are compatible with the components to which the flowable materials are applied thereby allowing the flowable materials to adhere or otherwise interact with the components. There may be further challenges presented in designing and manufacturing effective apparatuses for applying the flowable materials to different components. For instance, challenges may be presented for forming apparatuses that can properly control the rates of creation and the rates of output of the flowable materials. There may be still further challenges presented by the various design aspects of the components to which the flowable materials are applied. For instance, the geometry of the components, the processing of the components and other similar design aspects can present a myriad of challenges to application of the flowable materials.
A number of methods found in the prior art relate to so-called “pumpable” products that are fluidic materials applied to selected portions of a vehicle during the assembly process. Although these methods may be highly advantageous in some circumstances and applications, the use of pumpable materials and equipment often tend to create additional maintenance and clean-up requirements in the manufacturing facility as well as increased labor demand. Certain aspects of the present invention serve to eliminate the need for pumpable products and methods by providing a method, process, and apparatus for the extrusion-in-place or dispensing of flowable materials directly to a selected surface or location through improved extrusion techniques, which can be employed for applying a variety of thermoplastic and thermosettable materials.
Accordingly, the methods and apparatuses disclosed in the present invention overcome the drawbacks and disadvantages of the prior art by economically and effectively extruding or otherwise dispensing flowable materials to components of articles of manufacture.